Category: Fitness

I’ve been really into the concept of self-care lately. With our busy schedules and running around like crazy people all day long, I think it’s become more crucial than ever. I love a good face mask/tea/warm bath situation when I can squeeze it in, or even something not so extravagant like making myself a warm, nourishing breakfast instead of a fast smoothie or yogurt. Start weaving little self-care moments into your day and see what happens.

Today I want to talk about the ultimate self-care scenario – a trip to the spa!

I recently had the opportunity to enjoy the most incredible couples massage with Danny at exhale spa in Midtown. It was the whole shebang – zen music, infused water, essential oils and the most relaxing massage. I had tried out exhale before for its workout classes (love their barre and cycling), but when I got the chance to try a spa treatment I was so freakin’ excited.

Let me walk you through the day.

So, D & I got to the Loews hotel in Midtown (exhale is located inside the hotel) about 20 minutes early and checked in. The space is absolutely gorgeous and so, so zen. It’s like they spray the air with something to make you calm and relaxed the second you walk in. After filling out some brief paperwork, they led us to our respective bathrooms to get our robes on and get our spa day underway. I put on my plush, oversized robe and was ready for my rub-down.

We got the Couples Flow Massage (exhale’s signature massage) and it was pure relaxation. We got to each pick our own essential oil for our massage therapist to use (we both picked the citrusy “detox” one) and then we stripped down and got on our massage tables for some very much needed R&R. I think I dozed in and out of consciousness for the next hour, but it was amazing. Afterwards, we both felt so relaxed and refreshed.

We put our robes back on and headed to the hammam and sauna, where we sipped on cucumber water and hot tea and just chilled. No phones. No emails. It was great.

Whether you can get to the spa or not, I think it’s critical to weave self-care practices into your everyday – whether it’s taking five minutes in the morning to sit with your coffee in silence, or taking a yoga class before a busy day – make the time to squeeze it in.

That being said, I highly recommend exhale for a spa therapy, because #TreatYoSelf, right? The kind staff, amazing amenities and zen atmosphere at exhale make it the perfect destination for you to reconnect with yourself or your significant other.

Hope you all are having an awesome week filled with lots of self-care !!! I’m off to go read and attempt to get to bed early for barre in the AM. Night!

Hi guys! I hope you’re all having an awesome week. It’s been a crazy one for me, buuuut what else is new?

So I just want to jump right in and talk about Buckhead’s newest (and coolest) rowing studio, Total Row Fitness. As you guys probably saw from my Insta Stories, I’ve been incorporating Total Row 30- and 45-minute classes into my routine and loving them. YEP, you can get an amazing workout in only 30 minutes. I sound like an infomercial, but that’s beside the point…

Nobody has time to work out for an hour and a half these days. But with Total Row’s method, you really can break a sweat and feel super accomplished in a much shorter timeframe. My personal favorite is the TR 45 class. It’s a mixture of rowing and HIIT that incorporates slam balls, kettlebells and bodyweight exercises. Think five minutes on the rower, five minutes of HIIT and so on. Burns so good. They also offer that same class format in a 30-minute version (TR 30), as well as 30 minutes of all rowing (Row 30) and 45 minutes of rowing (Indo-Row.)

Rowing is a low-impact workout that anyone of any age or fitness level can do. It works 84% of your body, too, which I am ALL for. I’m trying to get a full body workout pretty much every time I step foot in a gym or fitness studio, again because of the time thing. Nobody has it! With Total Row, you’re working 9 out of your 11 muscle groups every single time. I also want to talk about the WaterRower (this is the machine they use.) You control your own resistance based on how much power you put into your strokes, which I love because you really get to make your workout your own.

Lastly, the studio team is amazing. They make you feel like a part of the TR family from the second you walk in, and are always trying to help you perfect your form and reach your personal best. I can’t say enough good things about the amazing instructors!

I would highly recommend incorporating rowing classes into your workouts. It’s a great form of cardio that doesn’t require running (thank the LORD) – plus you’re sitting on a rowing machine the whole time. Um, yes please. If you’re interested in trying a class, use my code YESGIRL10 for 10% off any package/membership!

I hope you all have a great rest of your week! I’m off to try to unwind with a bath and some sort of hot bev. Goodnight!

When I took my first class at [solidcore] in Midtown Atlanta, I knew they were onto something with this workout. Their custom machine, Sweatlana is a real ass-kicker, but in the best way. It’s one of those workouts where you’re saying “God I hate this; wow this burns; I’m killin’ it!; Get me off this thing; I’m so fierce!”… and etc. the entire time. Up and down, up and down. It’s so good, but it hurts like a B.

I know many of you are curious about the workout and the studio, so let’s break it down.

The studio: I don’t know about you guys, but for me, the overall feel of a fitness studio is definitely important. Sure, it’s not a make or break thing, but I love taking a class in a chic, trendy and clean studio and that’s definitely what [solidcore] Midtown is like. They’ve got a big, wood-planked Instagram Wall (yes, I’m officially coining that term) with [solidcore] in big, bold letters. And – my favorite part – spray painted under each machine is a cute little motivational quote. The chic vibe of the studio fits in perfectly with its location in the heart of midtown.

The machine: Sweatlana, [solidcore]’s machine designed specifically for their studios, includes eight springs for varied resistance, leather straps and it eliminates that annoying cover on the platform so you don’t have to lift up anything when changing out your springs. It’s also got a powder-coated aluminum based body and a pocket-free carriage.

The workout: Megaformer classes have always kind of scared me. The slow movements just KILL – but they seriously work out your muscles like nobody’s biz. A lot of you have already asked me about the difference between this class and Stellar Bodies or SculptHouse, since they all utilize some type of megaformer machine. The [solidcore] class format is a high-intensity, yet low impact workout with extremely slow movements designed to lengthen and tone your body in just 50 minutes per class. Moves include planks, lunges, squats and all of your usual favorites, amped up by about 10,000 with the slowness and resistance. And you most DEFINITELY sweat. I truthfully don’t know why – maybe because your muscles are working so damn hard, your body’s rejecting it and making you sweat ?? – but you get a great sweat in with hardly any cardio-based exercises. My abs have never been more sore than they were after my second [solidcore] class and to me, that’s a sign that this workout works.

The instructors: The instructors are supportive, tough and relatable, all at the same time. There’s nobody that finds this workout easy, so they get that you’re literally struggling through it the whole time and they can relate to you while you’re powering through. They talk you through the entire thing and are there to help motivate you until the 50 minutes is up.

Overall, this class is super tough but super rewarding. You feel like a badass walking out of that studio, which is what we all strive for, right?

Book your first class for only $10 now through January 31st. Tell them I sent you, & let me know what you think!